AGENDA #11
MEMORANDUM
TO: Mayor and Town Council
FROM: W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager
SUBJECT: Traffic Calming Plan for Dogwood Acres Drive at the Proposed Southern Community Park
DATE: June 12, 2006
Adoption of the attached Resolution A would approve a traffic calming plan for the Town-maintained section of Dogwood Acres Drive at the proposed Southern Community Park and authorize the Town Manager to incorporate the traffic calming plan in the park design.
This report provides an update related to a request to provide additional traffic calming and safety measures to aspects of the park design, the portion of Dogwood Acres Drive outside of the park boundary, and a proposed traffic signal at Dogwood Acres Drive and US 15-501. However, the NCDOT has not yet fully responded to all of the suggestions made by the residents of the Dogwood Acres neighborhood. Resolution B would direct the Town Manager to report back to the Council once the North Carolina Department of Transportation responds fully to the community petition presented by residents of Dogwood acres neighborhood.
Enactment of the attached ordinance would prohibit on-street parking on both sides of the Town-maintained section of Dogwood Acres Drive.
We recommend adoption of the resolutions A and B and enactment of the ordinance.
BACKGROUND
On April 11, 2005, the Council authorized the Town Manager to amend the Southern Community Park’s Special Use Permit application to expand the southern parking lot along Dogwood Acres Drive by 60 spaces to allow up to a total of 125 spaces.
On May 9, 2005, the Council approved the Special Use Permit application for the Southern Community Park, which included the expanded parking lot and traffic calming on Dogwood Acres Drive. The Council also stipulated that the traffic calming plan for Dogwood Acres Drive be approved by the Council.
In July of 2005, the Town assumed control from the State of a section of Dogwood Acres Drive within the park boundaries. Subsequently, at its September 12, 2005 meeting, the Council lowered the speed limit along that section of road to 25 miles per hour.
On January 9, 2006, the Council considered a traffic calming plan for the Town-maintained section of Dogwood Acres Drive at the proposed Southern Community Park. The Council received a petition asking that a number of issues related to parking and safety on Dogwood Acres Drive be considered. The Council postponed action and asked advisory boards to consider the traffic calming plan.
In April 2006, the Town received revised cost estimates for the park that indicated a rise in prices by about 30 percent since the previous cost estimate was completed in December 2004.
On April 13, 2006, the Project Planning Committee discussed the concerns of residents and the revised cost estimates. The Committee agreed to recommend that the Council revise the project’s parking and phasing plans.
On April 24, 2006, the Council adopted a new phasing plan and tentative budget for the Southern Community Park based on updated cost estimates.
DISCUSSION
The Special Use Permit application allows the construction of 277 parking spaces throughout the park. On April 24, 2006, the Council adopted a new phasing plan that would reduce the size of the Dogwood Acres Drive parking lot from 122 spaces to 40 spaces. In addition, the revised plan would result in the construction of 110 parking spaces in the northeast corner of the park site. No other parking spaces are to be built in the first phase.
TRAFFIC CALMING PLAN WITHIN SOUTHERN COMMUNITY PARK
In order to protect park patrons crossing Dogwood Acres Drive on the park trails and at the parking lot, the Special Use Permit included general provisions for traffic calming and the requirement that detailed plans be approved by the Council. Please see the attached master plan of the park and the schematic diagrams of the traffic calming plan. The proposed traffic calming plan consists of a combination of:
· Current 25 miles per hour speed limit within the park boundary.
· Three speed tables, two of which would also function as pedestrian crossings for the park’s trail system.
· One intersection crosswalk at the entrance to the parking lot constructed with materials that are of a different texture and look than the road surface.
· In-street pedestrian crosswalk signs informing drivers that they must yield to pedestrians.
· Signs including advance warning and at raised crosswalks.
· Stop signs warning trail users to stop prior to crossing Dogwood Acres Drive.
· Crosswalk and speed table striping to delineate crosswalks.
· Landscaping and fencing to prevent park patrons from crossing at locations other than the established crosswalks.
· Proposed no parking anytime restrictions on both sides of Dogwood Acres Drive within the Park area.
We believe that the combination of speed limit, on-street parking restrictions, warning signs, and physical speed-reducing obstructions should result in improved safety for pedestrians along this section of Dogwood Acres Drive.
Advisory Board Recommendations
The Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board, Parks and Recreation Commission, and Transportation Board reviewed the proposed traffic calming plan prior to the Council’s adoption of the new phasing plan, which reduced the parking lot at Dogwood Acres Drive from 122 spaces to 40 spaces.
The traffic calming plan reviewed by the advisory boards remains the same as the one presented here with three exceptions. The parking lot on Dogwood Acres Drive has been reduced in size from 122 spaces to 40 spaces, the number of pedestrian crossings of Dogwood Acres Drive has been reduced from four to three, and the easternmost crossing has been converted from a combination pedestrian crossing/speed table to a speed table.
Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board Recommendation: On January 24, 2006, the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board voted 8 to 0 to support the traffic calming plan. However, the Board also indicated that it would not support Dogwood Acres Drive as the primary entrance for the park.
Comment: The Council has modified the phasing plan for the park. A new parking lot containing 110 spaces in the northeast corner of the park property has been added to the first phase. That parking lot would become the primary entrance. The parking lot south of Dogwood Acres Drive would be reduced from 122 spaces to 40 spaces.
Parks and Recreation Commission Recommendation: On February 7, 2006 the Parks and Recreation Commission voted 6 to 4 to recommend that the Council adopt the proposed traffic calming plan. The Commission also recommended that the Town work with the NCDOT to install traffic calming measures along the length of Dogwood Acres Drive and a traffic signal at the intersection of Dogwood Acres Drive and US 15-501. The Commission further recommended that the Council direct the Manager to continue design of the park including a 125 space parking lot along Dogwood Acres Drive. Two members of the Commission who voted against the Commission’s recommendation stated that they believed the northern parking lot should be constructed and the Dogwood Acres Drive parking lot reduced in size.
Comment: The Council has modified the phasing plan for the park to include a new 110-space parking lot in the northeast corner of the park property and to reduce the Dogwood Acres Drive lot from 122 spaces to 40 spaces.
Transportation Board Recommendation: On February 8, 2006, the Transportation Board voted 8 to 0 to forward the following recommendations to the Council:
The Board expressed its belief that the design of the parking lot and access facilities were inadequate and did not address safety issues. The Board stated that if the parking lot south of Dogwood Acres Drive were reduced in size to no more than 40 spaces the board would support the traffic calming plan. In addition the Board asked that the Council request the installation of a traffic signal at Dogwood Acres Drive and US 15-501.
UPDATE ON THE NEIGHBORHOOD PETITION RELATED TO TRAFFIC AND SAFETY ISSUES ON DOGWOOD ACRES DRIVE
On January 9, 2006, residents of the Dogwood Acres neighborhood presented a petition that made the following requests:
1. Return to the park plan recommended by the Committee to Design the Southern Park, which included a small 40-space lot on Dogwood Acres Drive for the dog park and trails, and placed the soccer fields so they were accessed from an extension of the park and ride lot in Southern Village.
Comment: The Council has modified the phasing plan for the park to include a 110-space parking lot in the northeast corner of the park property and to reduce the Dogwood Acres Drive lot from 122 spaces to 40 spaces. We believe the athletic fields are in the best location and orientation. Relocation of the fields would require a complete redesign of the park.
2. Insist that the NCDOT install a traffic signal at the intersection of Dogwood Acres Drive and US 15-501.
Comment: We have been informed orally by representatives of the NCDOT that a traffic signal at the intersection of Dogwood Acres Drive and US 15-501 has been recommended. The NCDOT is exploring possible sources of funding for installation of the traffic signal. The Council has stated that it will not pay for the traffic signal. We believe we may receive an official communication from the State within the next few weeks; at that time we will report to the Council.
3. Design the Dogwood Acres Drive parking lot so that traffic must enter the west end of the lot and exit the east end of the lot, turning east only onto Dogwood Acres Drive, thus directing traffic toward US 15-501.
Comment: We do not believe that this approach is desirable or necessary, especially since the lot has been reduced to 40 spaces. The recommended design of the parking lot allows access from both directions.
4. Move the crosswalk west of the parking lot entrance and fence in the street side of the lot so that pedestrians must use the crosswalk to enter and exit the lot.
Comment: We believe the crosswalk is in the right location for overall park functions. The plan does include fencing intended to force pedestrians to the official crossing points of Dogwood Acres Drive.
5. Lock the parking lot after hours.
Comment: We believe that it is important for the Chapel Hill Police to have the ability to easily access the parking lot to monitor security issues, which would be lost if they had to unlock and lock a gate. In addition, we do not have the resources, for any of our park facilities, to lock parking lots each night and unlock them each morning.
6. Reduce the speed limit on Dogwood Acres Drive to 25 miles per hour.
Comment: The Town has already lowered the speed limit to 25 miles per hour within the park property. We have been informed by representatives of the NCDOT that the request for a lowered speed limit on the State-maintained portion of Dogwood Acres Drive has been approved.
7. Install speed bumps and “Residential Traffic Only” signs along the entire length of Dogwood Acres Drive. Install “No Parking” signs on the east side of Dogwood Acres Drive until Alston Drive. Place three-way stops at both intersections of North Circle Drive and Dogwood Acres Drive.
Comment: As of this time NCDOT has not replied to these requests. Once NCDOT responds we will report back to the Council.
NEXT STEPS
If the Council approves the attached traffic calming plan we will incorporate it into the final design.
If the traffic calming plan is approved we would expect that the project would then follow the schedule below:
|
Receive Zoning Compliance Permit |
July 2006 |
|
Bid Project |
July 2006 |
|
Council Approval of Bids |
September 11, 2006 |
|
Start Construction |
November 2006 |
|
Open Majority of Park |
April 2008 |
|
Open Athletic Fields |
September 2008 |
Manager’s Recommendation: The Manager recommends that the Council adopt the attached Resolution A which would approve a traffic calming plan for the Town-maintained section of Dogwood Acres Drive at the proposed Southern Community Park.
In addition the Manager recommends that the Council adopt Resolution B which would direct the Manager to report back to the Council once the North Carolina Department of Transportation responds fully to the January 9, 2006 community petition presented by residents of Dogwood acres neighborhood.
The Town Manager also recommends that the Council enact the attached ordinance, which would prohibit on-street parking on both sides of the Town-maintained section of Dogwood Acres Drive.
1. Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board Recommendations (p. 10).
2. Parks and Recreation Commission Recommendations (p. 11).
3. Transportation Board Recommendations (p. 12).
4. Site Plan of the Southern Community Park (p. 13).
5. Traffic Calming Plan (p. 14).
6. Pedestrian Crossing Layout (p. 15).
7. Intersection Crosswalk Layout (p. 16).
8. In-Street Crosswalk Signage Details (p. 17).
9. Location of Traffic Calming Signs (p. 18).
10. Pedestrian/Bicycle Sign Details (p. 19).
11. Crosswalk Striping Details (p. 20).
12. Speed Table Striping Details (p. 21).
13. Speed Table Cross Section (p. 22).
